Shark Siosifa Talakai suffers two minutes of NRL hell against the Eels

A Cronulla veteran’s Magic Round lasted a grand total of two minutes after suffering an absolute nightmare at Suncorp Stadium.

Sharks veteran Siosifa Talakai’s Magic Round turned into a horror show in two minutes of absolute madness in Cronulla’s 28-18 win over the Eels.

The 28-year-old second rower came off the bench with just over eight minutes remaining in the first half of this year’s opening Magic Round clash at Suncorp Stadium.

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A grand total of two minutes and 16 seconds later, his night was over.

It all started when the 100kg giant received a pass from Cronulla hooker Blayke Brailey and attempted his first hit up of the game.

Talakai managed to spill the ball in a three-man tackle, with Parramatta’s Ryley Smith grabbing possession and passing to fullback Isaiah Iongi, who took off on a sensational run from inside his own 30 metre line.

Siosifa Talakai’s first contribution was to lose the ball. (Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)

As Iongi was breaking a couple of tackles before being ankle tapped by Sharks five eighth Braydon Trindall, Talakai was doing his best to force his massive frame back down the field to make up for his mistake.

He launched himself at Iongi as the fullback was getting back to his feet, but got it all wrong and managed to knock himself out cold.

Talakai was left slumped face first on the Suncorp Stadium pitch before being helped by a trainer and going off for a head injury assessment.

Mere moments later, he was handed a category 1 assessment, meaning his night was over.

“Siosifa Talakai, he’s only been on a matter of seconds,” Andrew Voss said on Fox League.

“So he was the one who lost the ball and then on the chase, I can only think he’s picked up a boot (to the face) has he?”

Cooper Cronk added it’s “big contact here”.

Before he knocked himself out in a tackle gone wrong. Photo: Fox Sports

Before the end of Talakai’s night had been confirmed, Voss did his best to sum up the second rower’s contribution to the cause.

“That is a matter of seconds,” Voss said.

“One hit up for a dropped ball and one tackle and off now for the mandatory time, 15 minutes.”

Yet it took less than that for the Sydneysider to get the bad news and know his contribution to Magic Round had ended.

The contribution, or lack thereof, was not missed by a number of fans on social media.

Many took to X to make a wide variety of comments on his ever so brief performance.

Sport Season wrote: “Sifa Talakai knocking himself in that way is certainly something.”

An account called Parker2490 said: “Dude kills himself to make up for that mistake.”

Dwayne Nicholls tweeted: “Again, we see more players receive concussions when they’re the defender, as opposed to the attacker.

“Unlucky for Talakai there. Can’t penalise or sin bin that out of the game.”

Talakai was then helped from the field and his night was over. (Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)

KMB Aussie offered: “Talakai dove for his hips and knocked himself out. Funny, but it was scary for a second.”

An account titled Not Pat Carrigan stated: “Siosifa Talakai: Subs in, drops the ball, knocks himself out. Is this the new meta chat?”

Deni McGuiness wrote: “That’s Cat 1 for Talakai, he was out before his head hit the ground.”

One fan suggested slightly crudely that Iongi should have been allowed to play on after Talakai failed to complete the tackle.

Yoel Monaro declared: “Honestly should have been play on. Talakai had no control on Iongi, was literally unconscious.”

Whatever the reaction, it was a sad, short ending for a player who had been averaging 24 minutes a contest off the bench for the Sharks this season.

Originally published as Shark Siosifa Talakai suffers two minutes of NRL hell against the Eels